Dispensing device



C. R. G. STEWART May 4, 1937.

' DISPENSING DEVICE Filed April 23, 1936 Patented May 4, 1937 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE Application April 23,

8 Claims.

This invention relates to dispensing devices, and more particularly to devices for dispensing granular or pulverized materials.

An object of this invention is the provision of a simple and efiicient device for automatically dispensing granular or pulverized materials from a container directly onto a receiving article manually moved into actuating relation therewith.

With the above and other objects of the invention in view, one embodiment thereof, as applied to the dispensing of tooth powder directly onto a tooth brush, contemplates the provision of a device which includes a vertically slidable support for holding a container for tooth powder in an inverted position, an open spout of the container being normally sealed by a plate attached to a horizontally slidable spring pressed brush supporting frame against which the brush while inverted is thrust to receive a charge of powder. As the frame moves horizontally due to the thrust of the brush thereagainst pivotal cam members carried thereby engage cam followers on the vertically slidable container holder and raise the latter a suitable distance and at the termination of the horizontal movement of the frame the followers ride off the cam members and the holder with the container drops abruptly, due to gravity and upon coming to a halt the impact produced by the inertia of the container and contents causes powder to be dispensed therefrom onto the brush, the container spout sealing plate being moved from under the spout during the raising of the container. Upon withdrawing the brush the elements of the device automatically return to their normal positions.

Other objects and features of the invention will appear from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in'which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a tooth powder dispensing device embodying the features of the invention with the elements thereof in a normal or position of rest;

Fig. 2 is a side view, partly in section, taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1, and

Figs. 3 and 4 are fragmentary side views, partly in section, similar to Fig. 2, showing the powder container after it has been elevated by the movement of a tooth brush into actuating relation with the device and after the container has dropped to dispense powder onto the brush, respectively.

Referring now to the drawing, particularly Figs. 1 and 2, the numeral l0 indicates a vertical U-shaped frame which may be of such dimen- 1936, Serial No. 75,975

sions that it may be conveniently positioned ready for use within a medicine cabinet of a bathroom. Opposite parallel side walls of the frame ID are provided with alined slots I l which freely receive horizontal arms l2 of a tooth powder container 5 cradle I3 arranged intermediate the frame side Walls, the arms I2 in the normal position of the cradle resting on the bottom walls of the slots, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The cradle I3 is in general of U-shaped formation and is inverted with 10 its parallel side arms [4 which are of triangular shape pointing downwardly. A horizontal portion I! of the cradle l3 from which the arms l2 extend has formed therein a central opening l8 for freely receiving a neck portion of an inverted tooth powder container I 9, which is supported on the shoulder of the container formed by the junction between the neck portion and the body of the container.

The frame II) at its upper end is provided with 20 a back brace 20 (Fig. 2) and a removable front clip 2| which cooperate to support and guide the container l9 resting in the cradle I3 during reciprocatory movements imparted to the cradle, in a manner to be presently described, for the purpose of dispensing powder from the container. For removably mounting the clip 2|, pins 24 fixed to the side walls of the frame I0, are provided which are entered in slots in the clip. This arrangement facilitates the removal of an empty container H! from the device and the mounting therein of a loaded container and is particularly useful in the case where, due to lack of space, for example, the device is positioned in a medicine cabinet.

Fixed to the side arms it of the reciprocatory cradle [3 are guide pins 25 which extend outwardly and into vertical slots 26 formed in the side arms of the frame It}, the slots 26 communicating at their upper ends with the slots H of the frame side walls. Carried on the lower ends of the cradle side arms 14 upon their inner faces are rollers or cam followers 21. Slid ably mounted on the base portion of the U- shaped frame I0 and guided in opposite slideways 28 fixed thereto, is an irregularly shaped spring pressed frame 3!. The frame 3! at its right end (Figs. 2, 3 and 4) has a vertically extending partial end wall 32 which serves as a stop member for a tooth brush 33 (Figs. 3 and 4) and also as a wall against which one end of a compression spring 34 abuts, the opposite end of the spring extending into a spring cup 35 and abutting an end wall 36 of the cup, the cup being fixed to a plate 3! secured to the frame Ill. Normally the spring 34 acts to maintain the frame 3| in the position shown in Fig. 2 with its left end abutting stop members 38 fixed to the frame l0. In the extreme right hand position of the frame 3|, as shown in Fig. 4, the right end thereof abuts the left end of the spring cup 35 which serves as a stop member for the frame.

Pivoted to opposite side walls of the frame 3|, as indicated at 39, are cam members 50 which normally lie in the path of the cam followers 21 carried by the powder container cradle l3.

The movement of the cam members 40 is limite ed, as shown in Fig. 2, by pins 4| carried thereby which project into slots formed in the side walls of the frame 3|, the pins resting normally at the lower ends of the slots due to the-action of gravity, or spring pressure may be'employed.

Extending from the right end of the frame 3| as viewed in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 is a horizontal arm or sea'rling-plate li" having its upper surface normallyspaced from-the lower surface of the inverted neck portion of the powder container H! with .just sufii'cient clearance to permit the frame to' freely slide thereunder, the spout or opening in the neck portion being open. In the idle position of the device (Figs. 1 and 2-) the plate 42 serves to prevent the powder in the container 9 from passing therefrom until the device is actuated during which the tooth brush 33- is moved into position to receive the powder. As clearly shown in Fig. I the upper wall of the frame 3| forward of the sealing plate 42 is shaped to provide a chute 43 efiective in the actuated position of the device as shown in Fig. ito the discharged powder onto the The operation of the described powder dispensing device is as follows: Assuming the parts to be in'the relative positions illustrated in. Figs. 1 and'2, thetooth brush 33, while inverted is thrust forward with one stroke into the spring pressed frame 31 between the side walls and against the. end wall or stop: member 32 thereof, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. By continuing to thrust the tooth brush 33 forward, the frame 3| moves to the right, as viewed in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, against the action of the spring 34 which is compressed and the horizontally moving cam members 40 engaging the followers 21 carried by the vertically slidable powder container cradle I3 cause the cradle to move upwardly. The cradle l3 and the container IS in the continued horizontal movement of the frame 3| are raised to the position shown in Fig. 3 wherein the followers 21 have ridden up to the high points of the cam members 40. The thrust on the tooth brush 33 is continued until the frame 3| comes to a stop against the left end of the spring cap 35 (Fig. 4) during which movement the followers 21 ride off the high points of the cam members 40 at which instant the sealing plate 42 has traveled from under the open spout of the container l9 and the chute 43 is positioned thereunder.

Upon the followers 21 riding off the cam members 40 the cradle |3 carrying the powder container I9 is free to move downwardly and due to gravity it drops quickly and comes to an abrupt halt due to the horizontal arms |2 of the cradle riding in the slots ll of the frame it coming to a sudden stop on the bottom walls of the slots, the inertia of the contents and holder producing an impact which effects a discharge of tooth powder from the open spout of the container l9 into the chute 33 and thence onto the inverted bristles of the tooth brush 33 disposed thereunder. The user then immediately withdraws the charged tooth brush 33 and the frame 3| automatically returns under the action of the spring 34 to its normal or idle position (Figs. 1 and 2). In the return movement of the frame 3| the pivotal cam members 4|! ride over the stationary followers 21 and are rotated counterclockwise about their pivots while passing thereover and upon passing to the left of the followers they drop to their normal positions as shown in Fig. 1 ready for the next actuation of the device.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that a very simple and efficient device is provided for dispensing tooth powder in a sanitary manner onto a tooth brush from a container by a simple manipulation of a tooth brush into actuating relation with the device.

Although the invention as herein described and illustrated is particularly well adapted for dispensing tooth powder from a container, having a particular shape and dimensions onto a tooth brush, it will be understood that the embodiment hereinbefore set forth, or shown in the accompanying drawing, is to be interpreted as merely illustrative. Also that the invention is capable of other applications and that modifications can be made without departing from the O spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A dispensing device comprising a holder for material to be dispensed, movable means inclnding a cam for elevating the holder and effective at the termination of a predetermined movement of said means for dropping the holder, and means for stopping the downward movement of the holder abruptly to produce an impact for discharging material therefrom.

. 2. A dispensing device comprising a container for material to bedispensed having a downwardly extending discharge opening, a closure member for said opening, and means for causing simultaneous removal of said closure member and bodily movement of said container for effectreciprocabldcontainerfor material tobe dispensed having a downwardly extending discharge opening, a horizontally movable me'mber, and} means for elevating and dropping said vertically reciprocable container in response to a horizontal movement in one direction of said horizontally movable. member whereby an impact is produced for discharging material from said container opening. 7

5. A dispensing device comprising a vertically reciprocable member for holding a container for material to be dispensed, the container having a downwardly extending discharge opening, means for guiding the container holding member in its movements and supporting it in a normal lowered position, a horizontally movable mem ber arranged'under the container opening effective in one position for closing the same and in another position to open the same, and cooperating means on the vertically reciprocable and horizontally movable members operative during a horizontal movement of said horizontally movable member in one direction to open the container opening for elevating and dropping said container holding member to its normal position whereby an impact is produced for discharging material from said container opening.

6. A dispensing device comprising a vertically reciprocable member for holding a container for material to be dispenser, the container having a downwardly extending discharge opening, means for guiding the container holding member in its movements and supporting it in a normal lowered position, a horizontally movable member disposed under said container holding member and between depending portions thereof, and pivotal members carried by said horizontally movable member operatively engageable with said container holder depending portions in response to a horizontal movement in one direction of said horizontally movable member for elevating and dropping said vertically reciprocable member to its normal lowered position whereby an impact is produced for discharging material from said container opening, said pivotal members being movable to a non-operative position during a return movement of said horizontally movable member and thereafter returning by gravity to their normal operative position.

7. A dispensing device comprising a vertically reciprocable container for material to be dispensed having a downwardly extending discharge opening, a horizontally movable member including a closure member for said opening effective in its normal position for closing the same and in another position to open the same, yieldable means for normally positioning the closure member in its normal position, and means operative during a horizontal movement of said horizontally movable member in one direction to open the container opening for elevating and dropping said vertically reciprocable container whereby an impact is produced for discharging material from said container opening, said yieldable means thereafter being effective to return said horizontally movable member to its normal position wherein the closure member closes said container opening.

8. A tooth powder dispensing device comprising a vertically reciprocable member for holding a-container for powder to be dispensed, the container having a downwardly extending discharge opening, a horizontally movable member including a closure member for said opening, said horizontally movable member adapted to receive a tooth brush moved into actuating relation therewith and movable thereby in one direction to move the closure member from said opening and position the tooth brush to receive powder, .and means efiective during said movement of said horizontally movable member for elevating and dropping said vertically reciprocable member whereby an impact is produced for discharging powder from said container opening onto the tooth brush.

CLARENCE R. G. STEWART. 

